Premier League Darts news: Night 2 preview and predictions
Glasgow is set to host Night 2 of Premier League Darts as last week’s champion and current world No.1 Luke Humphries aims to maintain his perfect start.
Night 1 in Belfast was an exciting affair, providing shock performances, elite finishing, and huge averages from those players who turned up.
And with every point mattering in this tournament, the likes of Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen will be desperate to get a first win under their belts on Thursday.
Sports News Blitz writer Joseph Hannen previews the action and offers some predictions.
Humphries leads the way
In Belfast, the top-ranked player in the world once again proved why he belongs there, defeating Nathan Aspinall, Michael van Gerwen, and Chris Dobey to be crowned the nightly winner and take home five precious points.
Cool Hand Luke averaged 105.19 in his opening match, winning 6-2 against The Asp and checking out 139 in the process.
Humphries then prevailed in a last-leg decider against Van Gerwen before comfortably dispatching Dobey 6-1 in the final, pinning six of his seven attempts at double.
Last year’s Premier League runner-up now goes head-to-head with Dobey in the quarter-final on Thursday.
Dobey, it must be said, was the surprise package of Night 1.
The Bedlington-born world No.11 gained three valuable points after getting the better of Gerwyn Price and Rob Cross on his surprise run to the final.
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Littler awaits first win
The defending Premier League champion – and reigning World Champion – was unlucky not to beat Van Gerwen in their quarter-final match-up last week, with the teenager averaging a staggering 113.91 in defeat.
Interestingly, The Nuke’s losing averages this year have all been 105 and above.
Littler will thus be looking to get himself off the mark in Glasgow against Cross, who will be heavily disappointed not to have reached the final in Belfast.
Voltage did recently claim victory at the first Players Championship event of the year, though, defeating Joe Cullen 8-3 in the final after getting the better of a below-par Stephen Bunting in the quarter-final.
Big names look to get going
Price, Aspinall, and Bunting were the other players unable to get off to a good start in Belfast.
Indeed, the latter recorded the lowest average of the quarter-finals with a dismal 94.03.
He takes on seven-time Premier League Champion Van Gerwen this week and will need to improve massively to stand a chance of progressing.
Elsewhere, Price and Aspinall are set to open Night 2 in a fascinating clash, with both players desperate to kick-start the campaign.
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Glasgow order of play and predictions
The order of play for Night 2 is as follows: Rob Cross vs Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen vs Stephen Bunting, Nathan Aspinall vs Gerwyn Price, and Luke Humphries vs Chris Dobey.
Humphries has, by all accounts, been handed the easier side of the draw, and I fully expect to see him in the final.
According to the bookies, the league leader is 4/5 to reach the showpiece, as is Luke Littler who will need to beat either Van Gerwen or Bunting if he gets past Cross.
Watch out for Aspinall, who sits at 13/10 to beat Price in a match with big potential to be a last-leg decider.
Van Gerwen, for his part, is favoured against Bunting, with 7/5 odds for most 180s.
Night 2 prediction: Littler to beat Humphries 6-3 in the final
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